The invention relates generally to improvements in printing apparatus and more particularly it is concerned with apparatus for printing on the end portion of a bag or other article and wherein the article may be fed laterally into the front side of the apparatus or longitudinally thereof, and is discharged therefrom in a longitudinal direction and delivered to associtated apparatus or to a stack. Because of the compactness and resulting small size, the apparatus is particularly useful in crowded areas and further is such that bags or other articles can be fed thereinto manually without endangering the operator's hands. The apparatus also includes means to insure clear printing irrespective of the texture, thickness or material of the bag or like article and further has means to automatically drive the printing mechanism when a bag is inserted thereinto.